Iga Swiatek Told Her ‘Fighting Spirit Is Missing’ Because She Forgets Who She Is

Iga Swiatek got very emotional when she overcame a set deficit to beat Taylor Townsend in the first round of the recently concluded Wimbledon. While sitting on her chair, she broke down in tears.

But she easily clinched the win in the second round over fellow former World No.1 Karolina Pliskova. But against Alexandra Eala in the third round, the six-time Grand Slam champion couldn’t end the match in her favor.

Swiatek competed in the grass-court Major as the defending champion. Last year, she double-bageled Amanda Anisimova to end her title drought, but this year she has played just one semifinal (at the Italian Open).

Amid her massive slump in form, Poland’s Billie Jean King Cup captain, Dawid Celt, thinks Swiatek has forgotten who she is: the winner of six Majors, one WTA Finals, 11 WTA 1000s, and an Olympic bronze medal.

I think Iga is starting to accept what’s going on around her a little too much. That fighting spirit, that attitude, is missing. She forgets that she’s Iga Swiatek. Even though she’s going through a rough patch, a rough time, she’s a girl who’s achieved practically everything in tennis – an Olympic medal, Grand Slam titles; she was number one. (…) Iga accepts it all too quickly.

Dawid Celt said on the Break Point YouTube channel

Swiatek hasn’t yet reached a final since winning the 2025 Korea Open. The only title that she has lifted so far is the United Cup with Poland earlier this year.

She lacks that positive attitude to go out and show: ‘Okay, I’m going through a rough patch, but that doesn’t mean anything. I’m rebuilding here, I want to, I’m trying.’ That’s what I’m missing.

Dawid Celt added

Next is the North American hardcourt swing. The 25-year-old won’t be playing the Citi Open, set to start on July 27.

Instead, she will start her campaign at the Canadian Open, where she has reached just one semifinal (2023) but exited after advancing to the fourth round last year. But Swiatek lifted her 11th WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati by beating Jasmine Paolini.

Kim Clijsters urges Iga Swiatek to put less pressure on herself

Kim Clijsters believes the reason Iga Swiatek is struggling so much is that she is obsessed with winning. Clijsters said Swiatek is very competitive, and her goal in the Majors is only to win them. And this is why the 43-year-old has urged Swiatek to slow down between points.

When you look at [Linda] Noskova, she’s super intense from the moment she starts bouncing the ball for her serve, from the moment that she’s standing ready for the return, there is an intensity and aggressiveness. But there’s such a calmness in between the points and between the changeovers that I feel like Iga, at the moment, doesn’t have.

Kim Clijsters said on the Love All podcast

Noskova ended Wimbledon in her favor by defeating Karolina Muchova in three sets, becoming the third Czech woman in four years to win this title following Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024.

No woman since Serena Williams‘ win in 2016 has defended the title at the All England Club. Since 2017, Wimbledon has seen only different players emerge as champions.

Williams, the winner of seven Wimbledon singles titles, also competed in the event this year after returning to competition at the Queen’s Club Championships following her retirement. She suffered a three-set defeat at the hands of Maya Joint in the first round, and a later knee injury forced her out of doubles that she was set to play alongside her sister, Venus Williams.

Also read: Joao Fonseca Reveals his Learnings from Defeats to Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev